View from a Cubs fan

4:05 PM CST, January 25, 2008

Mark Kirchwehm, Wauconda

As I contemplate the upcoming Chicago Cubs season, it's hard not to think about the fact that they are on the cusp of reaching 100 years of futility. Sure, they've had their years of competitive excitement, but have always come short of reaching the pinnacle of success....or have they?

There have been times that the Cubs have been embarrassing to a town that loves its sports, but for the most part, they have always had decent players to root for, a picturesque ballpark to watch a game in, and plenty of good food and refreshments to keep anyone happy. We all tend to label the Cubs the biggest "losers" in baseball but isn't that hypocritical?

We aim to teach our kids sportsmanship and that winning isn't everything. We're appalled to see video of parents driven to rage when their child is not performing up to expectations; or umpires in little league games being mauled for questionable calls. We want our kids to play hard, have fun and when it's all over, congratulate the other team regardless of the outcome.

Meanwhile our beloved Cubs are labeled as "losers" for failing to win a championship in 100 years. But, you say, that's different….they're professionals and we pay good money to see the Cubs play. We deserve a winner!

When you buy a ticket to a game at Wrigley field you're really exchanging your money for 9 innings of entertainment. Granted, through the years that entertainment sometimes seemed more adept for the circus than professional baseball, but that is the risk you take. More often than not, though, the Cubs have been entertaining. Whether it be the competitive teams they have fielded sporadically over that last few decades, or the comical play and misadventures they've suffered in their down years,…it's still entertaining. Win or lose the Cubs represent all we should expect from our sports team; entertainment. Based on the attendance the past few years, it's apparent that the Cubs are succeeding at that, but somehow people are still waiting for more. They're providing us all we teach our children to expect from sports, but are somehow labeled unsuccessful.

In a culture where the term "healthy competition' is more acceptable than "good sportsmanship" it's time we look at our beloved Cubs in a new light. When I reminisce about all the joy, sunburn, laughs, exuberance and disappointments I've had at Wrigley, it's hard to imagine it being any more pleasurable if any one of those seasons ended in a championship. When I think about the generations of people who have had the same experiences, sharing them with friends and family over the years, it's hard to imagine them being any better if the Cubs won a championship. Sure, the Cubs haven't won a World Series in a 100 years, but to me, they'll never be losers.

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